Thill-coupling.



PATBNTBD F1232?, 1906.

J. L. HENRY. THILL GOUPLING.

ILPPLIATIDR FILED FEB. 20. i905.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

UNITED sTATngs.

PATENT OFFICE.

THlLL-OOUPLING.

Specification of Letters Patent Patented Feb. 27, 1906.

Application filed February 2D, 1905. Serial No. 246,387.

To (LZ/l whom it may concern,.-

Be it known that I, JOSEPH L. HENRY, a citizen of the United States, residin at Rochester, in the county ol' Monroe an State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in rPhill-Couplings and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description oi the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

My invention has for its object to provide an improved coupling for thills, poles, Sac.; and to this end it consists of the novel devices and combinations of devices hereinafter described, and defined in the claims.

The improved coupling is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, wherein like characters mdicate like parts throughout the several views.

Figure 1 is a view principally in side elevation, but with some arts sectioned, showing a portion of a pair ofpthills and the front axle of a vehicle, said parts being connectedl by one of my improved couplings. Fig. 2 is a view, partly in side elevation, but with some parts sectioned, on the line mi x2 of Fig. 3 and showing the thill detached from the coupling. Fig. 3 isa transverse vertical section taken on the line x3 :c3 of Fig. 1. Fig. 4 is a sectional view illustrating a modified form of the device, and Fig. 5 is a section on the line 3:5 x5 of Fig. 4.

The numeral 1 indicates a portion of the thill, to which one of a pair of metallic straps 2 is rigidly secured in the ordinary or any suitable Way--as, for instance, by a nutted bolt 3. The strap 2 at its projecting end terminates in a bearing-head 4, having an open seat 5 eictending downward and having at its top a notch or depression 6.

rhe numeral 7 indicates the front axle of a vehicle. This axle is rovided with ordinary bifurcated thill-coupiing brackets 8, which are rigidly secured thereto in any suitable way-as, for instance, by means of coperating yoke-clips 9, clamping-bars 1U, and nuts 11. A stub-shaft or headless bolt 12 is loosely mounted in seats formed in the ears of the couplingbracket 8. This bolt in length is somewhat less than the distance from outside to outside of the two rears of said bracket.

The numeral 13 indicates a leaf-spring, one end of which is rigidlysecured to the axle, being, as shown, clamped between the bar 10 and one of the nuts 11. At its free end it is pivotally connected by a lon r spacing-rivet 14 to the lower ends of a pair ci short metallic straps 15. The upper portions of these metallic straps 15 are bent outward, so that they closely embrace the outer surfaces of the ears of the coupling-bracket 8, and in line with the bolt 12 they are pivotally connected by rivets 16 to the depending prongs of a U- shaped lock-piece 17. The rivets 16 are provided with quite large heads, the inner of which are normally pressed into the outer extremities of the seats in which the bolt 12 is mounted. The lock-piece 17 is provided with an upturned linger-piece 18 and with a downturned lock-foot 19, the end of which is adapted to engage with the look-notch 6 of the strap 2 when the parts are in the position shown in Fig. 1.

Vlhen the thills are detached, as shown in Fig. 2, by taking hold of the lock-piece 17 and exerting considerable force tending to draw the same forward the inner heads of the rivets 16 may be sprung out of engagement with the seats in the coupling-bracket 8, and the straps 15 may be thus moved out of line with the bolt 12, so that the said bolt may be removed from working position or applied in working position nyendwise Inovements. Normally, however, the spring tension of the prongs of the lock-piece 17 will hold the inner heads of the rivets in engagement with the seats in the couplin -bracket, thereby holding the bolt 12 in wor ing position.

When the parts are adjusted as shown in Fig. 2, it is evident that the biiuroated head of the thill-strap 2 may be forced down onto the bolt 12 by a downward and slightly-rearward movement and may be locked to the bolt 12 with freedom for pivotal movements thereon by turning the lock-piece 17 forward, as shown in Fi 1, thereby en aging the toe of the foot 19 wit the lock-noto 6 of the straphead 4. As is evident, when the parts are coupled as shown in Fig. 1 the lock-piece 1.7 is locked to the head 4 for pivotal movements with the thill-strap 2. It is further evident that when the parts are coupled as just noted the spring 13 exerts a downward strain, which holds the lock-piece engaged with the notch 6 in the head of the strap 2, and7 furthermore, that this downward strain takes up all slack between the parts and prevents rattling thereof by holding the head 4 tightly pressed downward upon the bolt 12 an( the said bolt in turn tightly pressed down on its seats within the ears of the coupling-bracket 8.

In the modiiication illustrated in Figs. 4 and 5 a headed bolt 20 is assed. through the ears of the coupling-bracket 8, through the prongs o'l the U -shaped lock-piece 17, and through the upper ends of the metallic straps 15. The perforations for the bolt in the straps 15 are vertically elongated., as indicated at 15, so as to permit limited movement of the straps and lock-piece, and thereby permitting the free engagement of the nose 19 of said lock-piece with the notch 6 of the detachable head 4 and likewise the disengagement of the said parts. This modified form of the coupling while vidthin the broad scope of my invention is not the full equivalent of the form illustrated in Figs. 1, 2, and 3; but, on the contrary, the said construction illustrated in Figs. 1, 2, and 3 has points of superiority over the said construction illustrated in Fi s. 4 and 5.

The coup ing above described may be constructed at small cost, may be very easily and quickly manipulated, and is in all respects extremely eilicient for the purposes had in view.

From what has been said it will be understood that the devices described are capable of modification. within the scope of my invention as herein set forth and claimed.

What I claim,v and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States,is as follows:

1. T he combination with a couplingbracket having laterally-spaced ears and a pivot-bolt extending between said ears, of a pair of laterally-spaced. straps yieldingly supported at their lower ends, a lock-piece emracing the ears of said bracket, and pivotally connected to said straps in line With said pivot-bolt, and rovided with a lock-foot, and a detachable member having a head formed with an open seat adapted t0 engage the pivot-bolt of said coupling-bracket, and which lock-foot is adapted to engage the head of said detachable member to hold the same interlocked with said lock bolt, substantially as described.

2. The combination with a couplingbrackethaving laterally-spaced ears and an endwise-removable bolt seated in said ears, of a leaf-spring secured at one end with respect to said bracket, laterally-spaced straps connected to the free end of said spring and embracing the ears of said bracket, a yokelike lock-piece pivoted to the ends oi said straps and having a lock-foot, and a detachable member having a head formed with an open seat and with a lock-notch, which open seat is adapted to engage the bolt of said coupling-bracket, and which lock-notch is adapted to be engaged by the ioot of said lock-piece, substantially as described.

3. The combination with a couplingbracket having laterally-spared ears and an endwise-removable bolt seated in said ears, of a leaf-spring secured at one end with respect to said bracket, laterally-spacml straps pivotally connected to the free end of said spring, with their upper ends embracing, and yieldingly held vidth respect to, the ears of said bracket, a yoke-like lock-piece, pivotally connected to the upper ends of' said straps and having a lock-foot, and a headed member having an open seat and a lock-notch, which seat is engageable with the bolt of' said bracket, and which lock-notch is adapted to be engaged by the foot of said lock piece, substantially as described.

4. The combination vidth a couplingbracket 8 having perforated ears, of a bolt 12 seated in V.said ears and extending less than completely through said ears, the spring 13 anchored at one end with respect to said bracket, the straps 15 pivotally connected to the free end of said spring and embracing the ears of said bracket, the yoke-like lock-piece 17 embracing the ears of bracket and provided with a iingericce 18 and a lock-foot 19, rivets 16 pivotal y' connecting the prongs of said lock-piece to the upper ends of straps 15, with their inner heads yieldingly held in engagement with the perforations in the ears of said bracket 8, and the member 2, having a head 4 formed with open seat 5 and locknotch 6, which seat is engageable with said bolt 12, and which notch is adapted to be engaged by the foot of said lock-piece, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I aiiix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

JOSEPH L. HENRY.

Witnesses JAMES C. DRYER, AUGUsTINE J. CUNNINGHAM. 

